Catamaran



May 15, 1956 T. A. POTTS ET AL CATAMARAN Filed Oct. 24, 1952 F zlq. 5.

INVENTOR. THOMAS A. POTTS BY HELEN V. POTTS P a m T-PM ATTORNEYS.toions'so'ftliat' the catamaran may b'e'converte' CATAMAiRAN *A. Pottsand Hemnv.rorajaagwagm' he;

eler 1.Vi ctoria Potts, execufi'iit'of said Thomas ,A'QPo'tt's, aeeeaseuApplication October 24,- 1952,:Serial-No.616577 412mm. "(C11 9-2Thisinvention relatestomowiboatszand butboa'rd motor Heretofore, boatshave been made on the catamaran principle and have included a pairoffloats' or pontoons with a framework connecting thesameabove the levelof Water. Collapsible rigid frameworkshave been used in came-imam withcollapsible, or telesc'opi easily earried'packag'e when not inus'e.Usuallfiliowever; straps completely'ericircliiigthepontoons have beenprovided toho'ldthe ponteons'totherrainewdrka straps "have tended to be'difii'cult to install "to offer "considerable resistance tothe passageof thepdfiteon "through the water;

'Theprineipal object of this invention is to provide a catamaran which"can be collapsed into "a compact" package and in which the pontoons areheld to the framework by novel means creating no drag or waterresistance.

Another object of the invention isto provide a catamaran whereininflatable pontoons are held to the framework by the inflation thereof,thereby eliminating any encircling straps.

Still another object of the invention is to provide rigid channels,below the rigid framework of a catamaran, which channels receive andretain the upper half of the inflated pontoons without extending belowthe waterline.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved catamaranhaving a foldable framework and deflatable pontoons, together with afoldable outboard motor mounting and integral spray guards thus forminga portable craft of great versatility and convenience.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the invention shown in Fig. l, partly insection;

Fig. 3 is an end view, in section, on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front end view of the platform and channels of theinvention in folded condition and Fig. 5 is a side view of the deviceshown in Fig. 4.

A pair of pontoons A and B are provided each identical to the other andspaced apart one or more feet to lie in parallelism. Each pontoon suchas A, preferably has an upwardly tapered forward end 23 and an upwardlytapered rearward end 24, the ends being separated by a cylindricalintermediate section 25. The pontoons A and B are of flexible materialsuch as water proof plastic, rubber or the like and may be inflated ordeflated with air by means of an air valve 26. Preferably each pontoonsuch as A is divided into several air compartments such as 220, 221 and222, by flexible partitions such as 224 and 225, each compartment havinga separate air valve such as 26 or 226.

A platform C of rigid material such as metal or plywood is providedhaving a leading edge 41, a trailing edge 42 and side edges 43 and 44.The platform C is of approximately the same length as the cylindricalintermediate portions 25 of pontoons A and B and is of sufficient thechannel and thedintermediate portion ,25'.

wall 60 of the channel.

"Width to enteind between, and above, the. said spontoonsleaving.a-suitable-spaee"therebetween.

.Meuntefl bdowhm platform Care-a pair of identical channels D and E alsoof rigid materialzsuch as-metal aorwplywood; "each extendinglongitudinally .below the underside ofnone'bf :the opposite sides of'theplatform. Channels:D and E are spaced apart one or nior'efettoiliein: parallelism "andto receive the intermediate iportions 25 :o'fpomt'oons'A-zandB. Each channel such as Dis inverted togprovidetanheizizontal base wall :60: and a 'pair' ofispacednpartylverticalaside waHs's61 and .62 which dependflovmwardly from .the'base wall. Aslibest shownin"Fig-. 3, when a pontoonrsuch .asz A" isinflated in 2' its ichaanersueh as D, :the upper half of the cylindricalintermediatefportion 25 tangentially engages-base wall 60 andsidewallszol and 62 withq'akfrictional-engagement :at 63, 64*mid 65.Since the material of the pontoon such as Aiiszfleiible when flte-iair-pressure innthe-spontooniszinerea'sed the grip, of thechannel' Don the upper half :of the .portion 25 becomes more and-more: firmthroughout :the length 10f .Therside walls 61- an'du62 rnay'be longer;:than :shown, .if zdes'ired, .withontuinqany way creating'water'resistarice and'the pressure in. pontoonsAeand z-Bn'nafy beisuflicientrto dis tort the :upperih-alf inf-portion 25'1'nto the :shaperof theu'nside *Df the channel sD. .Tofoceupyzless'rspaceiwheninofinuse, thepontoons :A'zand 'Bimay be released fromchannels? D and E andplatform-C byamerelydeflatingatheisanre. The

, 'g'reater'tlie weight of platform C, and ithezgrea ter the loaducarniedbthereon; the tighterx'the ichannels :1) 111111513 'willsgr-ipthe inflatedipontoons A'andB.

or rearwardly out of the channels D and E. It will be noted that, ifdesired, such protuberances maybe of resilient material such as rubberand may extend above and slightly over the platform C thereby preventingaccidental displacement of the platform in a vertical direction.

Platform C and channels D and E are preferably made in at least twosections, each platform section or 101 having channel portions 102, 103or 104, 105 integral therewith or fixed thereto. The meeting edges ofsections '100 and 101 are hinged transversely of the platform at 107 sothat they will fold flatwise against each other as indicated in Figs. 4and 5. It is also preferred that the side walls 61 and 62, of eachchannel such as D, be

hinged longitudinally of platform C as at 69 and 70, to

fold parallel to the platform and overlying the bottom Thus not only canthe pontoons A and B be deflated and removed, but the platform C andchannels D and E are foldable into an easily portable package which canbe unfolded when ready to be used. A clamp 110 is provided on each sidewall such as 62, whereby the various sections of channels D and B may belocked together when in use to form a rigid unit.

Upstanding from the central portion of the trailing edge 42 of platformC is a rigid member arranged to receive the clamps of an outboard motor.Braces 121 'and 122 are pivotally connected to member 120 with theirlower ends 123 and 124 releasably held by set screws 125 and 126 inthreaded holes 127 and 128 in platform C. Member 120 is transverselypivoted at 119 to fold downwardly from its upstanding position when theset screws 125 and 126 are released from holes 127 and 128.

In its preferred form, the side edges 43 and 44 of platform C projectsubstantially beyond the side walls 61 A and 62 of channels D and E andthus form an horizontal ly projecting spray guard along the longitudinaledges of the platform.

In operation the catamaran may be carried in an automobile with pontoonsA and B deflated and the platform C, channels ,D and E and member 120folded in the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In use the platform sections 100 and 101 are unfolded into extensionwith each other, the side walls 61 and 62 are unfolded to form channelsD and E and the member 120 is folded upwardly and fixed by set screws125 and 126. Pontoons A and B are then partially inflated by valves suchas 26, protuberances 71 and 72 are properly positioned at the ends ofthe channels and the pontoons further inflated until they are tightlygripped in channels Band B. Clamp 110 may then be locked, an outboardmotor attached to member 120 and the catamaran operated as desired. Theprocedure is reversed to collapse the device into an easily transportedbundle.

I claim:

1. A catamaran comprising a pair of identical, spaced apart separatepontoons of inflated flexible material, each pontoon being straight andhaving upwardly tapered ends and a cylindrical intermediate portionbetween said ends; a horizontal platform of rigid material positionedabove, and extending across, the intermediate portions of said pontoons,said platform having a leading edge and a trailing edge; and a pair ofidentical, spaced apart straight channels of rigid material mounted onthe underside of each opposite side of said platformfor receiving andgripping said pontoons, each channel having a horizontal base wall and apair of spaced apart downwardly depending vertical sidewalls, and eachsaid channel tangentially contacting and frictionally gripping the upperhalf of the cylindrical intermediate portion of an inflated pontoonthroughout the length of itscylindrical portion by pneumatic pressureand being detachable from said pontoon by pontoon deflation alone.

2. A catamaran as specified in claim 1 plus a pair of fixed upstandingprotuberances on the upper half of each pontoon, said protuberancesbeing integral with the flexible material of a pontoon and eachpositioned at an opposite end of the cylindrical intermediate portionthereof to contact the adjacent channel proximate the leading andtrailing edge of said platform.

3. A catamaran as specified in claim 1 wherein the side walls of eachchannel are hinged to fold parallel to 'said platform and overlying thebottom wall of the channel.

4. A catamaran as specified in claim 1 wherein said platform is formedof at least two longitudinally extending sections hinged to each otherat their transverse meeting edges to fold flatwise against each otherand the side walls of each channel are sectionalized and hingedlyconnected to said sections for folding flatwise thereagainst.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS659,883 Webster Oct. 16, 1900 1,523,909 Shryock Jan. 20, 1925 1,659,580Weller Feb. 21, 1928 1,715,312 Steele May 28, 1929 1,927,124 Jones Sept.19, 1933 2,066,101 Dunlap et al Dec. 29, 1936 2,226,911 Romano Dec. 31,1940 2,396,148 Bean Mar. 5, 1946 2,399,494 Manson et a1. Apr. 30, 19462,451,781 Steele Oct. 19, 1948

